By converging interactive technology and television, “interactive television” (iTV) has become an increasingly popular communicative technology which allows an exchange of information between a viewer and a receiver (e.g., service provider, broadcaster, etc.). Viewers may utilize iTV for a variety of interactive services. For example, a user may alter his/her television viewing experience by choosing a camera angle to watch a sporting event, or by returning information to a broadcaster (e.g., choose or influence plot details and/or an ending of a show, voting, commenting, etc.). In addition, viewers may utilize iTV for commerce, in which he/she may convert a sales transaction through a television or Internet access.
Another popular interactive technology is interactive program guides (iPG). Current iPG technology allows viewers to navigate through an iPG on a receiving device (e.g., TV), where he/she may be able to see more information about a current program and/or about upcoming programs. If a viewer has a content recording device, such as a digital video recorder (DVR), he/she may plan his/her viewing by recording programs to a hard disc drive for later viewing. Video on Demand (VoD) functionality may also be provided, whereby a user may buy or select a movie or television program to either play at that time or record to view at a later time.
While these systems provide a variety of interactive features, current systems do not converge iTV and iPG functionalities to provide a better interactive programming advertisement system.